Veganuary!

If you hadn’t yet heard of this term, don’t worry, it is a new term with a great meaning. This term obviously refers to vegan and January = veganuary but has now become more than just the term, it has become a great campaign to inspire people to start their New Year off in an ethical and environmentally healthy way.

It means experimenting with going vegan for the whole month of January and has an aim of changing your perceptions of being vegan in today’s busy omnivorous world. The Vegan Society states that being vegan is: “A way of living which seeks to exclude, as far as is possible and practicable, all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose.” Consider this ethos for a moment.

Veganising

What would it feel like, trying a vegan lifestyle for a month? Boring? Difficult? Impossible? Intriguing? Exciting? If you’re wondering about it, maybe there’s a little part in you who would like to try it out – without having to fully commit to such a disciplined lifestyle. Or is it very controlled? It all depends of the individual. It is not a cult, which has strict rules or procedures. In fact, most vegans turn to veganism to “choose a lifestyle to promote a more humane and caring world.”

Every vegan follows their own set of rules agreed by their own conscience, situation, effort and budget. The vegan diet is in general considered healthy but does not automatically mean that ALL vegan diets are healthy. It does, however, center on the food groups that all of us should be focusing more on.

Temptation

If you are tempted by a plant based diet but don’t know where to start, you could hop on board the Veganuary train and focus on creating a few staples for each meal that will fill you up, make you happy and taste really good, so you always know there’s something great to eat. Start with breakfast, as it’s the most important meal of the day and sets you off the right way. Busy in the morning? Prepare an overnight oat the night before. You can mix and match the ingredients to get the most out of your brekkie. One easy, quick and tasty vegan example is an overnight oat with rice coconut milk, berries (frozen or powder form), cinnamon and and a dollop of almond butter on top. Voila!

Inspiration

While your breakfast will keep you feeling full for a long time, you will still want to eat lunch and dinner eventually so having a good staple or two will ease you into Veganuary. A really simple yet tasty recipe that will work day or night is a butternut squash soup with red lentils (for protein), sprinkle of pumpkin seeds and a dollop of soy yogurt on top to finish it off. If you’re feeling wild, you can make it into a very spicy one or just as easily, turn the dish into a mellow heart-warming bowl of goodness that will melt away the January blues.

So if you feel like you want to try something different this January, maybe a month long vegan experience is just what you’re looking for! It might bring on the change you’ve been waiting to happen – even help you lose weight and have more energy, as eating a vegan diet tends to be healthier than the average omnivorous one.

If you want to give it a go or are interested in learning more, go over to the dedicated website at www.veganuary.com.

Try these simple and healthy recipes that are fully vegan to get your day started